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Monday, July 27, 2015

What hasn't been written yet about the "Fare Thee Well" shows? From articles about how aging Deadheads are more Republican than Democrat, from heartfelt paeans penned by authentic 1st GenHeads to smarmy little pieces written by people who weren't even born when Jerry died - the world of print journalism has hit the mother lode this summer with all things Grateful Dead. Looking back at the "Fare Thee Well" shows for a moment, before looking forward to Radio Free Nachlaot's 6th Annual 9 Days of Jerry, this is our two cents.

1) We are neither dead, nor grateful. For those of us still lucky enough to be in the land of the living, we've forgotten one of the basics - "Give me five, I'm still alive, ain't no luck, I learned to duck!" Everybody who is STILL HERE needs to be a little bit more freakin' grateful about it, and stop kvetching about how things "aren't the same". Of COURSE they're not the same. Neither are YOU. Think about it.

2) It's still a Long, Strange Trip - and it ain't over yet. If we're still alive, then we're still truckin', even if we're calling in our performance or suffering the occasional rain day shutout. If we learned anything from the "Fare Thee Well" experience, it's that we're still a family - even with Uncle Jerry gone these last 20 years. So we don't have the same kind of family reunions we used to have, without him - but we still love to get together.

3) We're Old but not quite In The Way. 1st Generation Deadheads Jim and Patti Stein traveled to Chicago from Berkeley, California for the "Fare Thee Well" Chicago shows (after having seen both Santa Clara shows the week before). Jim gallantly agreed to be our "Citizen Journalist" on the go, and filed the following reports from both Santa Clara and Chicago, which we aired live on Radio Free Nachlaot during the "Fare Thee Well" week, but now are available in archived form to enjoy again.

About Jim
Stein: Jim Stein is based in Alameda, California, a large island in San Francisco
bay where he lives with Patti and their son Mitchel. Jim's Deadhead Cred
comes from the 200 or so West Coast Dead shows he
attended with friends from 1976 to 1987. "I took my retirement in
advance," Jim says about his touring years. "You could catch a dozen per
year in the Bay Area, so averaging around 20 per year was no problem"
Children and a job slowed things down but he still
manages to catch at least a few shows with the surviving members every
year. In his "real" life, Jim does technical work for Peralta Colleges
TV and KGPC radio in Oakland, tends a large vegetable garden and tries
to make it to a heavy metal show "about once
a year."

... and finally, last but not least, we were so grateful to be able to get a few minutes interview time with super-busy super-mom and super-fan Rachel Molly Loonin, who took her toddler to Chicago without a ticket, a firm place to land, or a plan - but with plenty of love, faith and brilliance!Rachel's INTERVIEW reveals the many #MIRACLES that went into making #CHICAGO an unforgettable experience for her! CLICK HERE TO LISTEN!

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